1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle sun visors, and in particular to vehicle sun visors having a visor body movable between a storage position and a front light-shielding position and also movable between the front light-shielding position and a side light-shielding position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known sun visor has a substantially L-shaped support rod that includes a vertical rod portion. The vertical rod portion is pivotally mounted to a bracket that is attached to a ceiling of a vehicle cabin. The vertical rod portion can pivot about its axis relative to the bracket. The support rod also has a horizontal rod portion that is rotatably inserted into a support member (i.e., a bearing) disposed within a corner portion of a visor body, so that the visor body can pivot about the horizontal rod portion.
Therefore, as the visor body pivots about the horizontal rod portion of the support rod, the visor body can move between a storage position along the vehicle cabin ceiling and a front light-shielding position along a front windshield of the vehicle. In addition, as the visor body pivots about an axis of the vertical rod portion, the visor body can move between the front light-shielding position and a side light-shielding position along a side window.
When the visor body is positioned at the side light-shielding position, one end of the horizontal rod portion, the end opposite to the vertical rod portion, may be oriented rearward with respect to the vehicle. Therefore, in the event that an external force is applied to the visor body to move the visor body rearward, the visor body may potentially be accidentally removed from the horizontal rod portion of the support rod.
For example, if a curtain-type airbag disposed on a lateral side of the vehicle cabin ceiling has been fully inflated and deployed, the inflated airbag may produce a force that urges the visor body rearward.
For this reason, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-293136 proposes to provide an engaging portion. The engaging portion extends from the outer peripheral surface of the horizontal rod portion of the support rod. In addition, the publication proposes to mount a removal-preventing member to the support member disposed within the visor body. The removal-preventing member is able to engage with the engaging portion of the horizontal rod portion. With this arrangement, the visor body may be prevented from being accidentally removed from the rear of the horizontal rod portion of the support rod.
However, this arrangement requires an engaging portion formed on the horizontal support rod and a removable preventing member mounted to the support member. Therefore, this arrangement may increase the number of components and the manufacturing cost of the vehicle sun visor.